Barrett-Jackson Positions Collector Car Market for the Future

Barrett-Jackson’s 48th Annual Scottsdale Auction proved once again to be the barometer of the collector car market. With over 1,800 vehicles offered and a sell-through rate of 99.75 percent, this January marked one of the most successful auctions in Barrett-Jackson history.

Not only did total auction sales soar to $131.6 million, but the weeklong event solidified significant market trends, as well as dynamic shifts in the hobby, which have been predicted by Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson and President Steve Davis since the early 2000s. Based on internal sales and market data over the last decade, among the trends Barrett-Jackson identified was the growing demand for professionally built Resto-Mods, as well as an increasing number of Gen X and millennial buyers coming to the hobby.

As early as 2000, Jackson and Davis forecast another shift in the market – the growth of professionally built Resto-Mods, largely due to the burgeoning accessibility of new technology, high-quality custom parts and top-notch design talent. In 2002, Barrett-Jackson began consigning more Resto-Mods, which are defined as domestic and import cars that retain their classic look, but have been restored (resto) and modified (mod) with modern-day bodywork, technology, engine, drivetrain and interiors.

Unlike a custom vehicle, a Resto-Mod features the latest technology rather than period-correct equipment. Over the last decade, Resto-Mods have seen a meteoric rise in interest among buyers. The immensely popular SEMA Show and the coveted Detroit Autorama Ridler Award are among the factors contributing to the demand.

Similar to the upward trend of classic muscle cars, Resto-Mods have also experienced a jolt in demand among buyers. Over the past two years alone, Barrett-Jackson has seen a steady increase in not only the amount of customs and Resto-Mods sold, but also an increase in value. At the 2019 Scottsdale Auction, 161 custom vehicles were on the docket, an increase of 87.2 percent over the 2017 Scottsdale event, while the average sale price for vehicles in that category has risen 27.7 percent, from $62,711 to $80,103.

Some of the best Resto-Mods are bringing well over six figures at auction. A prime example was a multiple award-winning 1971 Plymouth HEMI ’Cuda built by Alan Johnson of Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop in Alabama that sold for $588,500 at the 2007 Scottsdale Auction (Lot #1290). Other professionally built Resto-Mods that have made their mark at Barrett-Jackson auctions include: